


Running

by donsboy



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Angst, F/M, Lost Love, Love finally, M/M, OOC, Realizations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 07:58:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donsboy/pseuds/donsboy
Summary: Starsky keeps running from what is right in front of him.





	Running

Hutch was a nervous wreck as he got ready for work for the last time. Today was the day that he and Starsky were to retire from Bay City P.D., and Hutch had mixed feelings about it. When Starsky first mentioned retirement, Hutch was taken aback because all Starsky had ever wanted to be was a cop, and now he was talking about pulling the plug. Hutch sat Starsky down that night and asked him what brought wanting to retire on............

“It's simple, Hutch. We aren't getting any younger, and I was thinking that maybe it was time to find a nice girl and settle down, maybe start a family...... don't you want to do that?”

“Not really, Starsk..... the whole 'family' thing doesn't appeal to me like it does to you. I guess I'll always be considered a 'confirmed bachelor'......”

“You really don't wanna wife and all that ?”

“You know damn well that's not what I want!”

“Hutch, are you gonna retire too?”

“Of course I am...... I don't want to work the streets without you.... I plan on doing a whole lotta nothing.....I was thinking we could hang, or whatever but that might be hard to do while you are on your quest for a wife.....

“We'll still see each other, Blintz.....”

“Sure we will.....”

He and Starsky had put in their papers at the same time, much to Captain Dobey's dismay. He called the guys to his office and asked if they were playing a joke on him. Starsky said it was the real deal. Dobey got serious, and told them that they were the best team he'd ever had, and he was sad to see them go. They guys shook his hand and thanked him for everything he'd done for them over the years. They left his office and started trying to wrap up the paperwork on all their pending cases. Once all the paperwork was caught up, there wasn't a lot to do. Hutch packed up his desk, and Starsky did the same. On their final day, they walked into the squad room to be surprised with a cake and gifts from some of their fellow officers. Captain Dobey gave a speech and gave the guys each a gold watch for their dedicated years of service. As the festivities wound down,Captain Dobey told the guys they could go on home if they wanted since they no longer belonged to the city. Starsky laughed all the way out the door.

When they got to the parking garage, they guys stopped by their cars for a moment......

“So, what are you gonna do tonight?”

“I thought a quiet evening in would be in order...... what are you gonna do?”

“Haven't decided yet..... don't know if I wanna go celebrate at Huggy's or just hang out with you. If that's okay....”

“Starsk, you're always welcome at my place..... you wanna come over, then come over.....”

“You sure I wouldn't be intruding?”

“On what? Me drinking myself into oblivion? Please feel free to come by.....”

“Why were you planning on doing so much drinking, Hutch?”

“Because I'm celebrating......”

“Celebrating what?”

“The end of an era, Starsk, You and I finally made off the streets in one piece..... don't you think that's worth celebrating?”

“Sure it is!”

“ I want you to come help me celebrate. Will you?”

“You betcha.....”

“Well, let's get started then.....”

Hutch went to the fridge and grabbed two cold beers. He gave one to Starsky, and he cracked the lid on the other one; “Here's to me and thee.....”

“Here! Here!” said Starsky with an enthusiasm he hadn't felt in a while. A few beers later, Starsky told Hutch he was heading home, and would maybe talk to him sometime the next day. Hutch told him to drive safe and locked up his apartment so he could get ready for bed.While he lay there waiting for sleep, Huctch thought; “He's running from me.....” When Starsky got home, he fixed himself a snack and turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels, but couldn't find anything to hold his interest. He finished his snack and got ready for bed, thinking about Hutch the whole time.....

Starsky finally shut his mind down enough so he could get some sleep. Across town, Hutch was thinking about the implications of no longer being a cop. He didn't have to worry about getting shot at anymore or worry about Starsky getting hurt. Now, he could relax, tend to his plants, and just do nothing if he wanted to. Maybe he and Starsky could just relax and hang out. The possibilities were endless. A few days later, Hutch was at the grocery store when he saw Starsky taking to a gorgeous brunette. The conversation looked to be private, so Hutch headed for the check-out line. Before he left the store, he left a note on the Torino's windshield asking Starsky to call him when he got a chance. When Hutch got home, he put the groceries away, and as he was finishing up, the phone rang......

“Hello?”

“What's up, Hutch?”

“Hey, Starsk..... I take it you found my note?”

“Yeah....”

“I wanted to know if you wanted to come for dinner later......”

“I would, Hutch, but I'm busy tonight.....”

“Let me guess: the brunette from the supermarket?

“You got it! I'll take a rain check on dinner if that's okay.....”

“Sure.... whatever is good for you......”

“I'll talk to ya later, Hutch.....”

“Okay...bye....” Hutch said to the dial tone, as Starsky had already hung up.

Starsky showered and dressed for his date with Darlene Fargo, the girl from the market. They were going to dinner and dancing afterward. Starsky was excited because Darlene was very good-looking, intelligent, and seemed to be just what he was looking for in a girl. To say he was looking forward to tonight would be an understatement. He was a few minutes early picking Darlene up, and waited while she finished dressing. They went to Le Cirque for dinner and went to a club called Mecca to dance. All in all, the evening was a success. Darlene invited Starsky in for a nightcap, and he ended up staying the night. The next morning, the two made love again, and Starsky took her to her job at the boutique where she worked. He promised he would see her at the end of her shift and drove home.

While Starsky was puttering around his apartment, Hutch was cleaning, doing laundry, and all the other chores a single man living alone has to do. He was wondering how Starsky's date turned out, but didn't want to call because he was sure his partner had a late night. He decided to wait until later in the day, then he would call. Later that afternoon, Starsky was getting ready to pick up Darlene when the phone rang.....

“Yeah?”

“Hey, Starsk.... you busy?”

“Yeah, buddy..... I was on my way out the door to pick Darlene up from work..... did ya need somethin'?”

“Not really..... just thought I'd call......”

“Sorry I can't talk right now..... I'll call ya.....”

Once again, Hutch had a dial tone in his ear. He shook his head and went to the kitchen for a beer. 

When Starsky picked Darlene up from work, she was very glad to see him. She said she had been thinking of him throughout the day and was very glad to see him. Starsky waggled his eyebrows at her and she said; “Yeah!” After they made love and showered, Starsky suggested going to eat at the new steakhouse that had recently opened in the neighborhood. Darlene was agreeable so they went to the restaurant. While they were waiting for a table, Starsky ran into Captain Dobey and his wife, Edith. Starsky introduced Darlene to the couple, and Edith asked about Hutch. Starsky explained that he hadn't had much time to spend with Hutch lately, but that he was doing well the last time they had talked. The Dobeys said their goodbyes, and Starsky and Darlene were shown to their table.....

“Dave, who's Hutch?”

“Hutch is my best friend, not that you're treating him like he his,and was my partner on the streets.....”

“If he's your best friend then why haven't I met him?”

“Well, baby, I've been so wrapped up in being with you that it slipped my mind.....”

“Is he a nice guy?”

“Hutch is the best. We're like brothers in some ways.... I get a chance, I'll have to call him and invite him to have drinks with us. How does that sound?”

“That sounds fine.....”

The rest of the evening went well for all involved. Starsky and Darlene spent a quiet evening at home, and while they were doing that, Hutch was thinking about how Starsky had been acting toward him ever since they'd retired. He hadn't been by for a visit, he'd turned down a dinner invitation, although he did say he would take a rain check, and was short and a bit rude on the phone. Hutch understood that Starsky was spending all his time with his new girl, but the way he'd been acting made Hutch think that the friendship as well as the partnership was over, and he really couldn't understand. And then it hit him! Starsky was putting distance between the two of them, and Hutch was certain he knew why. It was because Hutch had let it slip that he was into guys. Starsky was running away from him because he was afraid Hutch would make a pass at him! The partnership changed subtly at first. Starsky didn't ask about Hutch's dating habits anymore, and they certainly didn't hang around much anymore. Hutch didn't let it bother him because he thought Starsky would get back to normal eventually.

A few days later, Starsky was thinking about calling Hutch up to invite him to have drinks so he could properly meet Darlene. He was asking himself why he was having such a hard time doing so. Back in the old days, it was nothing for he and Hutch to double date, or go dancing with their girls. Now it was a different story. They couldn't double date, or go dancing because Hutch was into guys now, and society just wasn't ready for that kind of thing yet. Starsky picked up the phone and dialed Hutch's number.......

“Hello?”

“Yo, Hutch!”

“Starsk....”

“You busy?”

“Not really.... what's up?”

“I wanted to call and see if you could meet me for drinks on Friday so you can meet Darlene....”

“Where did you want to meet?”

“How about O'Malley's, say 7o'clock.....”

“That sounds fine..... I'm looking forward to it.......” click

“We'll see you there..... This time Starsky was talking to a dial tone.....

When Friday rolled around, Hutch was looking forward to meeting Darlene. He was curious to see what kind of girl his friend picked. He arrived at O'Malley's around 7:15, and was looking around the bar when he saw Starsky waving to him. He headed to the table and took a seat. The waitress care around for his order, and while they were waiting, Starsky introduced everyone.....

“Darlene Fargo, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Ken Hutchinson.....”

“Nice to meet you , Darlene....”

“Nice to meet you, too..... I've heard a lot about you......”

Hutch laughed.....”Don't believe a word of it!”

Darlene laughed and that seemed to set Starsky at ease. The three enjoyed each others' company, laughing and talking until Hutch announced that he was leaving so the lovers could have time to themselves. Starsky excused himself to walk Hutch outside.....

“So what do you think?”

“Starsk, she's a very nice person. You're lucky to have her.....”

“Thanks for coming to meet her.....”

“Sure.....”

“I guess I'll see ya around?”

“I'm not gonna hold my breath.....” Hutch got in his car and drove away, leaving a very confused Starsky standing on the sidewalk. When Starsky went back inside, Darlene asked if everything was okay. Starsky said it was, and that he just needed to ask Hutch a question. That settled, the two finished their drinks and went dancing......

Meanwhile, Hutch sat in his apartment, having a glass of wine and listening to some soft jazz. Thinking back on the evening, Hutch decided that Darlene was a nice girl and that she and Starsky made a good couple. Darlene was intelligent and articulate, not like some of Starsky's other girlfriends. He hoped they could make it work. When he thought back to the conversation he and Starsky had on the sidewalk, he knew his parting shot had hit it's mark by the confused look on his friend's face. Hutch finished his wine and got ready for bed.

After Starsky and Darlene made love, Starsky lay in the darkness thinking about what Hutch had said when he left the bar. Where the hell did that come from? Oh, come on, Starsky! You know damn well where it came from. You've been ignoring the guy for weeks, and when you do talk to him, it's short and shitty. You've turned him down for dinner, you act like he's gonna bite you if you get too close, but I think the REAL reason is because he likes guys. It bothers you for many reasons, all of which you need to get over because your homophobia may drive your best friend away, effectively ending all ties to him in the process. Is that what you really want, to be shut of Hutch? To go through life without your other half???? You really need to do something about all of this, Starsky, before it's too late......... Starsky fell into a fitful sleep, thinking that he really needed to talk to Hutch soon.

The next morning found Starsky a bit confused and out of sorts. After he took Darlene to work, he decided to swing by Hutch's place and try to explain why he had been treating him so badly. When he arrived, Hutch's car was gone, and Starsky wondered where he could be. He jotted a note and left it on Hutch's door saying that he would be back later because he wanted to talk to him. While Starsk was waiting to go back over to Hutch's place, he thought about Hutch, and how he really felt about his best friend. The two men had been through a lot together in their years on the streets, and Hutch had always been there for Starsky no matter what. He thought he really knew Hutch, and it had come as a surprise when Hutch let it slip about liking guys. Starsky couldn't deal with that fact because Hutch had kept it a secret. But to be fair, Hutch probably didn't tell him because he was afraid of what Starsky might do. It irritated Starsky because they'd never had any secrets between them before, and now this. Starsky knew he needed to clear the air with Hutch because he truly missed his friend, and wanted to try and make things right between them again.

When Starsky arrived at Hutch's, the LTD was in it's usual spot. He parked behind it and headed up the stairs to Hutch's apartment. He let himself in with the key and called out to Hutch. Hutch came out of the bedroom looking rumpled and sleepy. When he saw Starsky, he asked if he wanted a beer. He set two bottles down on the kitchen table and asked; “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I just wanted to come by and visit..... is that okay?”

“I suppose so.....”

“Hutch, I want you to know that I really am sorry for my treatment of you these past few weeks. I've had a lot going on with Darlene, and I know I've treated you pretty rough. There's no excuse for it, and I want to apologize......”

“I accept your apology, Starsk..... I was afraid that I'd done or said something to piss you off.....”

“No..... although there is one thing that's been bugging me.....”

“You wanna know why I didn't feel I could tell you I was into guys, right?”

“Am I that unapproachable, Hutch, that you couldn't tell me about that?”

“Starsky, I didn't know how you would react, and I didn't want to make things harder on our relationship. It was a crazy time, and I was too afraid......”

“I can understand that...... but you don't have to be afraid, Hutch. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Me and thee, remember? I think it bothered me so much because you kept it a secret instead of letting me help you carry the burden ..... does that make sense?”

“It helps knowing that we're okay again......”

“You bet we are! By the way, thanks for being understanding about me spending so much time with Darlene. I know I've been a right bastard about that, too. Now since things seem to be running smooth, we can hang out more. I sure do miss that.....”

“Me, too,Starsk.....”

Starsky looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time to pick up Darlene. He really didn't want to leave Hutch, but duty called. He explained the situation, and though Hutch thought he caught it in time, Starsky saw his friend's face fall at the thought of him leaving. He walked over to Hutch, put his hand on his shoulder, and said; “I promise I'll make time for just you and me just as soon as I can, okay? I know you doubt me, but I'm gonna prove ya wrong, Blintz.....”

“Okay......”

Starsky bopped down the step to the Torino feeling better than he had in a while. He knew he needed to make good on his promise to Hutch, and that he needed to pay more attention to his best friend. He intended to do just that because, now that he'd gotten his head out of his ass, he didn't want to lose the best friend he'd ever had. He picked Darlene up from work and took her out to dinner. She noticed his good mood and asked him what was going on......

“Nothin's goin' on, baby..... I just had a real long talk with Hutch about some things, and we were able to work a lot of things out.....”

“Did you guys have an argument?”

“No... this was some stuff that happened right before we retired, and about the way I treated him right afterwards. We cleared the air, and everything's gonna be alright now......”

“That's great, Dave. You know good friends are very hard to come by.....”

“That's the truth! Hutch is the best friend a person could have, and I'd die and go to hell before I lost him.....”

After their meal, they went to Darlene's to have a quiet night in. Little did Starsky know that his world was about to be turned upside down by a simple phone call.....  
“Hello?”

“Darlene? It that you?”

“Of course it's me, Laura..... what's going on?”

“Honey, I got some bad news.....”

“What is it, Laura?”

“Mama's had a bad stroke, and I need somebody to help me take care of her.... can you come?

“Of course I can...... when do you need me there?”

“As soon as you can get here.....”

“I'll make the flight arrangements as soon as we get off the phone.....”

“Be careful, sis..... I'll see you soon.....”

Darlene hung up the phone and broke down. Starsky asked what the matter was, and she explained everything to him. She said she needed to contact the airlines and get a ticket to Gary, Indiana as soon as possible. Starsky asked when she was coming back, and she said that she really didn't know. She asked Starsky to please understand because she loved her mother very much. Starsky explained about his own mother in New York and said he understood completely. He asked if she wanted him to make the flight arrangements while she packed. She said that would be fine and headed to her bedroom to start packing.

When she was ready, Starsky took her to the airport. He stayed with her until her flight was called, and she promised to call him just as soon as she knew what was going on back home. He kissed her goodbye and left the airport feeling more than a little bit down. He drove around aimlessly for a while, then decided to see if Hutch was still up. When he arrived, he went up the steps and knocked lightly. Hutch opened the door immediately, and Starsky asked if he could come in. Hutch closed the door behind him, and immediately asked what was wrong.......

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah, partner, I'm afraid it is..... what's going on?”

Starsky explained that Darlene had received an emergency phone call from back home about her mother. He went on to say that she didn't know how long she would be gone, or if she was coming back. He said that she would call and let him know what was going on as soon as she assessed the situation. Hutch said he was sorry to hear that, and hoped everything worked out for the best. He grabbed Starsky up in a bear hug and asked if he wanted a beer. The two men sat at Hutch's kitchen table, drinking beer, and talking about everything and nothing at all, just like old times.

By the time Starsky was ready to go, he felt much better. He was thankful to Hutch for letting him bend his ear, and all Hutch said was; “That's what I'm here for, Gordo.....” The two had made tentative plans to get to get together the next day, and Starsky said he would call Hutch in the morning. Hutch watched Starsky through the kitchen window as he left, letting out a deep sigh. He went through the apartment turning out lights and securing everything so he could get ready for bed. As he lay there waiting for sleep, he thought of Starsky and hoped he would be okay. Across town, Starsky was laying in bed thinking about Darlene and her situation. He hoped everything would be okay. Then, just as he was about to fall asleep, Hutch crept into his thoughts. Starsky smiled because Hutch always made him feel better. He was looking forward to hanging out with Hutch the next day, just like old times.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Starsky was up early having coffee and eggs, and was looking forward to hanging out with Hutch. The thought of his best friend brought much comfort to him, and he couldn't wait to get the day started. As he was getting dressed, he thought about heading over to Hutch's and surprising him. When he arrived at Hutch's, the apartment was empty. Starsky realized that Hutch must have gone for his morning run. He made Hutch a pot of coffee, and sat down to read the paper. When Hutch came back, he greeted Starsky and said he was going to shower. While Hutch was in the shower, Starsky made himself at home. Hutch finished his shower and dressed, heading to the kitchen for his morning health shake. Starsky made fun of Hutch as he always did for drinking the concoction, but Hutch paid him no mind as usual......

“So what do ya wanna do today, Blondie?”

“I thought maybe we could hang out here, or maybe go down to the beach......”

“You got beer?”

“Sure.... just bought a case yesterday......”

“A whole case???”

“Yep...”

“Then we're stayin' in today!”

“We do have to go to the store and get stuff for lunch, and dinner if you want to stay.....”

“That's fine..... are you ready to go?”

“Sure.....”

The guys went to the grocery store and gathered everything they needed for the day. When they got back to Hutch's place, they put everything away and flopped down on the couch. They sat there talking and Hutch noticed Starsky's leg touching his. That in itself was not unusual because they had sat that way many times. This time was different because Hutch felt himself getting aroused. He got up off the couch and went to the kitchen to get another beer, asking Starsky if he wanted one. Starsky passed on the beer, and Hutch could see that something was bothering his friend. He walked back over to the couch and said; “Okay.... out with it!”

“What??”

“You're thinking about Darlene, aren't you?”

“Yeah..... what gave it away?”

“You got quiet.....”

“I'm sorry, Blintz, I didn't mean to mess up our day......”

“Starsky, you didn't mess anything up. It's only natural to wonder what's going on with her. I completely understand.....”

“Are you sure, buddy?”

“Of course I'm sure..... would you rather go home for a while and see if she calls?”

“I kinda want to, but I did promise you that we'd spend the day together.....”

“I know you did, but all is not lost....”

“What do ya mean?”

“Well, you could go home for a while and wait for her to call, and then come back over here for dinner.....”

“Are you sure, Hutch?”

“Yes..... now get your butt in gear so you can be back in time for dinner.....”

Starsky stood up and gave Hutch a hug, saying; “Hutch, you're the best.... how did I get so lucky?”

“Gordo, luck had nothing to do with it!”

Starsky headed home. Once Starsky was gone, Hutch decided to take a nap. As he was waking up, he could hear Starsky talking to him, but he couldn't understand what his friend was saying. He went to set up in the bed and realized he had an erection. He shook the dream off and got out of bed headed to the john to take a leak. He wondered if the dream had anything to do with Starsky sitting so close to him earlier. He put the entire matter out of his mind and went to the kitchen to start dinner. Meanwhile, Starsky was about to go nuts waiting for the phone to ring. He'd been home all afternoon and hadn't heard a word from Darlene. He hoped that she was okay, and that the situation with her mother wasn't too bad. Dammit, if only she would call! He got up to go to the john when the phone rang. He snatched it up and said; “Hello?”

“Dave?”

“Hey, Darlene! How's it goin'”

“Things could be better......”

“That bad, huh? How is your mother?”

“She's here, but just barely.... there's so much to do until I don't know where to begin....”

“Sounds rough, babe......”

“It is..... Dave, I really hate to do this to you, but I'm not coming back to Bay City......”

“Why not?”

“My sister took off as soon as I got here, and she said that since I was here, she was taking some time off and would let me know when she wanted to come back. So it looks like I'm taking care of Mother on my own...... Dave, I'm so sorry.....”

“It's okay, Darlene..... Family does come first.....”

“You aren't angry?”

“Nah, just a little hurt..... but I'll get over it......”

“I really did care about you, you know?”

“I know you did, sweetie..... you just take care of business....... good luck, Darlene.....”

“Good luck to you, too...... I have to go now.....”

Starsky hung up the phone and sat there re-playing the conversation in his head. He should have known his situation with Darlene was too good to be true. He didn't know what he was gonna do now. He went and washed his face, grabbed his jacket, and headed to Hutch's. When he walked up to Hutch's front door, Starsky could smell some seriously tantalizing aromas coming from inside. He let himself to find Hutch taking a lasagna from the oven. It looked great, but Starsk didn't have the heart to tell Hutch he wasn't hungry. Hutch put a beer on the table for him, and that's when he noticed the look on Starsky's face......

“Darlene called, didn't she?”

“Yeah....”

“And the news wasn't good, was it?”

“She's not coming back, Hutch.....”

Hutch walked over to Starsky and led him to the table so he could sit down. He slid his beer toward him and said; “Talk to me, buddy.....” Starsky told Hutch about the conversation with Darlene and what had been said. It seemed to Hutch that the more Starsky talked about it, the more sad he became. Hutch pulled Starsky into a hug and comforted his friend. It was the only thing he knew to do to ease the hurt Starsky was feeling. When he got himself under control, Starsky gently removed himself from Hutch's embrace and said; “I need to go.....” “Look at it this way, Starsk, no matter what comes and goes, you'll always have me.....”

“You bet'cha.....”

Starsky walked out the door and headed down the stairs. He got into the Torino and headed home, leaving Hutch to worry and wonder about his friend. When Starsky got home. He turned on some music and sat down on the couch. He was soon lost in thought about Darlene, and also about Hutch. When Hutch held him as he cried over Darlene, Starsky felt a strange sensation pass through him. It felt right, and that's what confused him. He and Hutch had hugged each other over the years, but this particular hug felt like he belonged in Hutch's arms. He was confused by what he was feeling, and he knew that the only thing that would help was sleep. He turned out the lights and went to bed, wondering just what the hell was going on with him.

The next morning, Starsky woke up with the remnants of a very strange and erotic dream in his mind and an erection of epic proportions.. In the dream, he and Hutch were hanging out at Hutch's and Hutch accidentally spilled beer all over his shirt. He went to the bathroom to clean up and when he finished, he came out of the bathroom naked. Starsky looked up and was shocked to see him standing there. Hutch looked him in the eye and said; “I'm all yours, if you want me.....” and walked into his bedroom. Starsky sat there in shock, aware of the fact that he was aroused. He was more surprised when he followed Hutch into the bedroom and shut the door...... That's when Starsky woke up. Confusion and lust warred in his mind as he thought about the dream. He really wanted to talk to Hutch, but knew he needed to think things over more before he did.

He got out of bed, washed up and started a pot of coffee. He made some toast and had breakfast, thinking about his situation the whole time. Sure, he'd thought of Hutch like that a time or two, but those thoughts were fleeting. Truth be known, all Starsky ever wanted was someone to love him, and he knew Hutch did. Since last night, Hutch was all he could think about. He knew he had to be absolutely sure about all of this because he didn't want to hurt his best friend. He thought about it for another two day, and decided that he wanted Hutch more than anything, and hoped that Hutch would feel the same. He showered, dressed, and headed over to see his friend. On the way over Starsky got nervous. What is Hutch didn't feel the same? What if he made fun of him? All sorts of stupid thing kept popping into his mind. When he finally arrived, he decided to just lay it all on the line and see what happened. Starsky let himself in with the key. He heard Hutch call out, and Starsky answered him. Hutch came out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist, and Starsky nearly came undone. The raging erection was back, and he hoped that Hutch would get some clothes on real soon.

Hutch came out of the bedroom with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Starsky relaxed and Hutch brought them each a beer...... “So are you feeling better, buddy?”

“Yeah, I am.... been thinkin' about a lot of things, and I finally figured a few things out...”

“Oh, really...... such as?”

“I realized that all I've ever really wanted was someone to love me. Somebody that understood me, and could give me the love I craved. And let me give them the love they deserved in return...... the funny thing is that I've had it right in front of me all along and was too damn blind to see it.....”

“R-r-eally, St-tarsk?”

“Yeah.... Hutch, I've been thinking about us a lot for the past three days and I really want to talk to you about something important.....”

“W-what's that, Starsk?

“You don't have to be nervous, but I have a confession to make, and I want you to hear me out before you say anything, okay?”

“Okay.....”

“I know I'm going to make mistakes, and I hope you will have the patience to show me what I did wrong. I promise to love you, respect, and care for you from now on. I want to be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see every night. I said all of that to ask you this one question:”Hutch will you please love me?”

Hutch sat there with tears in his eyes. He wanted this man more than anything in the world, and couldn't believe his chance was right in front of him. He saw the tears in Starsky's eyes, and he went to him, pulling him into an embrace......”You've had your say, now it's my turn, okay?” Starsky meekly nodded his head.....

“Starsky, you've asked me a question that I've longed to hear from you for a long time. The answer to that question is yes, I will love you with all that I have. There will be no one but you from now on because I want this to be exclusive, I hop you can abide by that. If not, now's your chance to go. I've loved you for years as a friend, and now I have the chance to be you lover. I won't take that gift lightly.....

Hutch leaned in for a kiss, and the result was electrifying. Starsky grabbed both sides of Hutch's face and pulled him in for a deeper kiss. Hutch reached for Starsky's hand and led him toward the bedroom and their future......

The End


End file.
